I am suspicious of the coin for the following reasons:
1. The coin is unusually well-centered and evenly struck. Few of the known specimens published in RN have both Christ's
head (with the full
nimbus) and the Emperor's full
head both on
flan and
well centered. By itself this is not dispositive, but it is a
red flag.
2. The
coin shows even wear. Most of the 1/8
stavraton Con XI specimens published in RN have a few high punch marks that show virtually no wear. This one does not. By itself this is not dispositive, but it is a
red flag.
3. The fingers on Christ's right hand are disproportionately large.
4. Fields seem more flat than most specimens published in RN. By itself this is not dispositive, but it is a
red flag.
5. K and C in fields are too obvious and distinct compared to most specimens published in RN. If this is an "old cabinet" specimen, how was it possible that nobody missed the K for so long? By itself this is not dispositive, but it is a
red flag.
6. Edges are more uneven than most specimens published in RN. There are occasional notches in the RN specimens, but most coins are generally smooth around the edges. This coin is uneven in multiple spots. By itself this is not dispositive, but it is a
red flag.
7. More surviving and evenly defined
border dots than any other surviving specimen. By itself this is not dispositive, but it is a
red flag.
8. Other errors in iconography that should be familiar after a careful study of the known specimens